Havas Health Acquires SO What Global

LONDON — Havas Group has acquired healthcare communications agency SO What Global. SO will merge with Havas Health & You and Health Brands for London and be rebranded as Havas SO to offer a full range of services from PR to creative and digital.

Following the acquisition, Scott A. Clark and Oliver Parsons, two of several SO What co-founders, will continue to lead the team of health, well being and lifestyle comms professionals. Clark and Parsons will report to Donna Murphy, CEO of Havas Health & You, and will work closely with European senior leaders for daily operations.

"Bringing SO What Global into Havas Health & You is a strong strategic move to expand our healthcare and wellness capabilities. Their entrepreneurial mindset within the Havas Village will work to stimulate even more business growth and drive. I wish the teams a warm welcome to the Havas family," said Yannic Bollore, CEO, Havas Group.

SO What is the brainchild of Clark, Oliver and other founding members that was launched in 2015 after the duo's 2014 departure from Huntsworth Health. It's initial launch included SO Active and agency SO Talented. In April, 2016 SO What unveiled a new healthcare offering after acquiring Iris Life Communications, a healthcare firm also launched by Parsons and Clark the prior year and was rebranded as SO Healthy.

SO What Global has led with a focus on life communications, meaning health, well being and lifestyle. The brand's two core agencies, health and wellness comms agency SO Healthy and consumer lifestyle agency SO Active, will also become part of Havas Group. SO currently works with pharmaceutical, lifestyle and wellness companies as well as global associations.

"The entrepreneurial and innovative SO culture makes it a perfect fit for the Havas family. Its integrated approach and fresh concepts, as well as the vast talent pool across the communications spectrum it brings, will bolster in exciting ways the Havas offering for global clients," added Murphy.